Former Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), Dr. Charitha Herath, has raised serious concerns over a proposal to expand the committee’s authority to directly refer its findings to law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies.
The proposal, tabled by current COPE Chair Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, seeks to amend Standing Order 120 of Parliament, allowing COPE to submit its reports directly to institutions such as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Dr. Herath warned that such a move could disrupt the constitutional balance between the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature, and risk turning COPE into a “quasi-executive agency,” beyond its intended parliamentary oversight function.
He noted that politically appointed members may lack the legal or financial expertise to make binding decisions, increasing the risk of politically motivated or erroneous referrals.
Furthermore, he warned that the reform could intimidate public officials and paralyse state administration.
Dr. Herath called for the establishment of an independent expert panel to review COPE findings before any action is taken.
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